Jewish groups in India urge owners of HITLER clothing store to change shop’s name

A men’s clothing store in India is being asked to change its name after the chosen 'Hitler' unsurprisingly upset the local community.

Proprietor Rajesh Shah claims he was unaware that the name may cause offence as it derives from a nickname given to his business partner’s grandfather.

The ‘Hitler’-store has provoked outrage among residents and the small Jewish community in Achmedabad in the Gujarat province.

Mr Shah says no harm was intended when they named the shop.

‘Frankly, until the time we applied for the trademark permission, I had only heard that Hitler was a strict man, he told the Times of India. ‘It was only recently that we read about Hitler on the internet.’

He says Hitler was a nickname given to his business partner Manish Chandani's grandfather due to the man’s strict nature and has nothing to do with the German dictator.

But local Jews disagree and say the owners knew exactly what the name meant.

A member of the Jewish community visited the store last week and told the newspaper that the pair had researched the dictator 'right from the dress to his cufflinks.'

'We had suggested a separate design, but the proprietors claimed that the name brings good business since its launch.'

After a visit by Jews from the local synagogue expressing their concern, Mr Shah has said he is willing to change the name but only if he is compensated as he and his business partner has run out of money.

Mr Shah claims all their funding of 40,000 rupee ( £454) had been spent on signs, business cards and advertising for ‘Hitler’ and that someone would have to pay for the re-branding of the clothes shop.